ASAKURA MARU NO 12
Why dive here
With 139+ marine species recorded in the area - including humpback whales, octopuses, sea turtles, spinner dolphins and whale sharks - ASAKURA MARU NO 12 offers some of Eilat's richest wreck diving.
The Asakura Maru No. 12 isn't your average Eilat wreck dive. Forget the typical Red Sea coral gardens for a moment, because this dredger tells a story. We’re talking about a vessel that took a torpedo to the gut in the Suez Canal, got refloated, then found its final resting place here in Eilat at a comfortable 15 meters. The bow, with its massive dredging arm still largely intact, faces north, and it’s where we always start. You can glide into the wheelhouse and through a few of the smaller compartments, which makes it perfect for those newer to wreck penetration. Sunlight slices through the openings, illuminating schools of glassfish that shimmer like scattered glitter. Keep an eye out for the resident morays tucked into crevices and the occasional scorpionfish blending perfectly with the encrusted metalwork. We love this wreck for its unique character and the way it balances history with marine life, offering something a bit different from Eilat's usual reef dives.
Typical ASAKURA MARU NO 12 Dive Profile
Illustrative profile based on site depth and type. Actual dive profiles vary - always follow your dive computer and training.
Safety Notes
Wreck site - avoid penetration without wreck diving certification. Watch for sharp metal and entanglement hazards.
Always perform a 3-minute safety stop at 5m before surfacing.
ASAKURA MARU NO 12 Wreck History
Year Sunk
1980
Vessel Type
dredger
Cause
explosion
The Asakura Maru No. 12 has one of the most unusual sinking stories in the diving world. This Japanese dredger wasn't lost in a storm or a collision, but through a bizarre and explosive accident. On April 1, 1980, while working to clear sediment in the Suez Canal, the vessel's dredging equipment sucked up an unexploded torpedo, a forgotten remnant of a past conflict. The resulting detonation was catastrophic, sinking the dredger almost instantly.
Declared a total loss, the vessel was later refloated and towed away, eventually being scuttled off the coast of Eilat, Israel. It now rests in the calm, clear waters of the Red Sea at a recreational depth of 15 meters. The wreck is an easily accessible and fascinating dive site, popular with divers of all levels. Its unique history and the visible damage from the explosion make it a compelling underwater classroom, where divers can explore the twisted metal and see how nature has reclaimed this victim of a freak accident.
Reviews for ASAKURA MARU NO 12
Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for ASAKURA MARU NO 12
ASAKURA MARU NO 12 Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for ASAKURA MARU NO 12, sourced from NOAA buoy data - nearest station: Open-Meteo grid (29.5, 34.92) (0km away)
August Averages
Air Temperature
34.15°C
93°F
Wind Speed
6.87 m/s
13.4 knots
Atmospheric Pressure
1006.1 hPa
Based on 5 years of monitoring data · Data sources: NOAA NDBC
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